Remote upload of media content is known in the art. Such uploads are typically used to provide real time, or near real time, coverage of news/sports events occurring outside of a prepared television studio. Camera crews are often sent to film live events in a variety of locations and the video/audio feed is transmitted back to the studio where it is broadcast.
News/sports organizations use wireless broadband connections to transmit live media content back to the studio. FIGS. 1A and 1B, to which reference is now made, illustrate technologies currently used to provide real time remote broadcasts.
FIG. 1A shows a video camera 5 that is used to film a news event at a remote location. Camera 5 is connected by a cable 10 to a satellite news gathering (SNG) van 15. SNG van 15 has an antenna 20 on its roof that transmits broadcast data to a relay satellite 25 in orbit around the earth. Relay satellite 25 then transmits the data to a receiving dish 30 at television studio 35.
SNG van 15 typically contains a variety of equipment (not shown), for example, a video encoder, satellite modem and an editing station. This equipment is used to process and transmit the data to relay satellite 25. SNG van 15 then uses a broadband connection to upload the data to satellite 25 via antenna 20. The data is then downloaded to studio 35, where it is typically edited and broadcasted.
FIG. 1B illustrates how microwave technology is used for live remote broadcasts. Functionally analogous to SNG 15 in FIG. 1A, electronic news gathering (ENG) van 16 processes data from camera 5 before transmission. However, antenna 40 uploads the data using microwave transmissions, and instead of relay satellite 25, the data is uploaded to relatively local microwave relay station 45. The data is then relayed to studio 35 via internet 46 or a wire line connection 48.
Satellite and microwave technologies have similar operating constraints. For example, both technologies require “line of sight” connections. There must be an unobstructed line between antenna 20 and relay satellite 25 in order to upload the broadcast data. Similarly, there must be an unobstructed line between antenna 40 and microwave relay station 45 in order to use microwave technology. Accordingly, these technologies are inappropriate for use from some locations. For example, neither technology can be used from within an underground parking garage. Tall buildings and/or other topographic features impact on the usability of microwave technology, and to a lesser extent, that of satellite technology as well.
Another constraint is that both technologies require the prior agreement of the operator responsible for the relay installation. Neither technology can be used without the provision of dedicated resources by the operator.
Furthermore, SNG and ENG vans 15 and 16 require serviceable roads to access remote broadcast locations. There are smaller, “luggable” units available, known as “flyaways” which may be used as an alternative to SNG and ENG vans 15 and 16. Flyaways may be brought to the remote location using other modes of transportation, including, for example, airplane, helicopter or all terrain vehicles. They are, however, still bulky and difficult to carry far by hand. A flyaway is typically split into two separate units, each weighing approximately 40 kg.
Inmarsat, a United Kingdom company, markets a line of Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) products which are considerably lighter and more compact than flyaways. Such products, however, are limited to an upload bandwidth of only 256 Kbps-512 Kbps.